


Combat Boots Are Best For Running

by starrjiarr



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Brother Feels, Canonical Character Death, Diego being his normal stubborn self, Drug Use, Its just Ghost Ben no worries, Mentions of Character Death, Mentions of ghosts, No Incest, Pre Canon, Sober Klaus, Trans Diego Hargreeves, Transphobia, Underage Drinking, Underage Drug Use, heavily unedited, im not gross, non-binary klaus, reginald is not a good dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 10:35:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25968253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrjiarr/pseuds/starrjiarr
Summary: A collection of stories based on Diego and Klaus trying to be good brothers to each other. Klaus is the first person Diego came out to as trans.(unedited)
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves & Diego Hargreeves
Comments: 1
Kudos: 43





	Combat Boots Are Best For Running

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer! Had to write this all on my phone and it has not been edited yet so sorry if it’s awkward, also most of these stories r pre canon, like before the show takes place, if any of it is set in present canon I’ll put a note saying it for less confusion, I’ll add more tags later probably

Wet. That’s what he remembered feeling as he laid on his back. Wet and rough concrete. He knew he would need to take a shower as soon as he got home, a mixture of sweat, blood and New York grime isn’t the best smelling he thought, but he still laid on his back gently closing his eyes ever so often, heaving in and out. He had just stopped three guys hired to rough up a local man who had been running for union council. Apparently that requires muscle? He wasn’t sure but he took them down and luckily the man ran away as he took down the last two. They had put up a lousy fight but it still took all the breath away from Diego. Not only was his sweater and gear wearing him down but what he had underneath as well. He tried to breathe normally, his lungs doing the best they could made his whole body swell and depuff dramatically that even in the darkness you could see his effort. He then heard the faint sound of boots and heels on the ground, splashing in puddles and smacking concrete, he turned his head softly and saw, no, Detective Patch? Who’s that with her? He then faced the sky again not ready to hear another lecture on taking care of himself and overworking himself, just as he was about to try and muster up the energy to sit up and not puke he heard a voice he hadn’t heard in months. 

“Diego! Diego!” It was Klaus, of course it was, who else would be running in heels at night to help him besides his brother. Klaus dramatically (as he does) dropped to his knees and hovered over Diego cupping his face, Diego swore each time he saw this asshole he looked different, not like he didn’t recognize him but something would always be different, his hair, his makeup, his health, at least one something. This time his hair was different, his natural curls shined through as he had shaggy bangs and a messy mullet, also was that glitter? Diego sighed and looked at the detective, “How’d you find me?” She sighed leaning towards him, “I didn’t, he told me.” She cocked her head in Klaus’ direction and when Diego’s eyes met his he gave a smile, “C’mon I couldn’t leave my little bro hangin’!” Klaus then began pulling at his arms with the help of Patch. “We’re- ahh- we’re the same age, idiot.” He managed when he was finally on his feet. “Yeah, that’s true, but you’re still shorter than me.” He swung his arm around his shoulders and the detective did the same. 

When they arrived at the gym, the owner Al didn’t look too pleased. “Diego, what the hell happened to you?” He had a grimace on his face. “Nothin’, I’ll be fine, man. They just came to bring me here.” Klaus waved his hand that had ‘Goodbye’ tattooed. Al looked Klaus up and down, he recognized Patch but not this guy. He stepped out of their way and they shuffled down stairs. 

When Diego landed with a thump he almost didn’t think he was in bed, he felt like he was on a cloud but his breathing still wasn’t right. Patch started unhooking and unbuckling his harness’ that held his knives and other concerning possessions. Klaus looked around his small basement room picking up random objects and inspecting them. “Don’t touch that.” Diego announced sharply. “Fine.” Klaus put his hands in the air in defeat. Then he started touching the book shelf. Diego sighed, “Don’t touch that either.” “Jesus, then what can I do?” “Nothing.” He replied sharply. Patch looked at him almost annoyed. “Why are you being like this?” “Like what?” “He’s your brother and he just tracked both of us down to make sure you weren’t in some alley passed out.” “Exactly! Thank you Detective Scratch!” “Patch.” She corrected. “Yeah, whatever.” He sat back down, all Diego could do was stare, he hadn’t seen Klaus in seven months, he just received a text three months ago asking if he could Venmo him $20 bucks and asking if he was still single cuz he just met this girl in Arizona who Diego would love. Diego had mixed feelings about Klaus these days, Luther and their dad called him a careless junkie, who poisoned his body for no reason, the last time he spoke to Vanya she said that he was sick that she read something about how Klaus had an illness. He turned back to the ceiling, he used to get why Klaus smoked and drank when they still lived at the house with dad, it sucked there. Of course Klaus downing some illegally obtained Xanax made sense. But Klaus hadn’t stopped that habit, if anything it became worse. He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt the detective pulling up his sweater, his hands swung onto hers in a death grip, she managed to pull them away after a few tugs and after Diego saw she would stop. “I’m trying to help-“ “I don’t need your help with this part. You two can go and thank you both for bringing me here.” Patch got up in a huff in left, being that guys friend was hard but when he still acted like he couldn’t trust her, that was harder. When she got to the top of the stairs she stopped at the door and said “Diego, take care of yourself for once, the longer you keep that thing on and the more you do, the more you get hurt.” And with that she closed the door and left. Diego sat up slowly and then flared at Klaus who was looking at his feet. “Why are you still here?” He growled. Klaus looked up at him with what almost looked like tears in his eyes. “You’re wearing it on missions?” He asked quietly. Diego scoffed at his brother. “That’s not your business.” “I’m your brother making sure you’re okay is my business-“ Diego cut him off with words that were designed to hurt, “You lost that right when you left to love drugs instead.” He looked at Klaus’ eyes and when he saw the actual pain he gave Klaus he regretted it. Klaus got up quickly and as soon as he was in front of the stairs he turned back holding up his finger to point at Diego, “Not that you care but I got out of rehab today.” He then fumbled in his jacket pocket and pulled out a 30 day chip. He held it out in front of Diego. “I’ve been sober for thirty days and when I finally left that place the only thing I could think about was making sure you were okay.” As soon as he was about to walk up and leave Diego gave a weak “wait.” Klaus stopped still starring at the ground. “How...How did you even find me?” Klaus turned his head slowly, he gave a dry chuckle. “You’ve saved a lot of people’s families Diego, even if they didn’t make it they’re glad you helped them.” He finally met his brothers eyes, “They told me where you were, they told me...they told me who that detective was too and said I needed to go to her to make sure you were okay.” Klaus was still clutching his thirty day chip. Diego finally stood up and slowly walked to Klaus and gave him the tightest hug he could give in those moments. His body still hurt but he would still give his brother a hug. He whispered thank you and got a pat on the back. “Hey, it was really the ghost.” Klaus laughed. Diego pulled back and walked towards his dresser drawers that were facing the stairs. “You can stay here for the night if you need. I don’t got a lotta space but there’s enough for you,” he paused and glances that Klaus, “,bro.” He smiled to himself and when he found the the sleep shirt he wanted to wear he closed the drawer. Klaus gave a released sigh and began speaking in his normal tune again, “Thank you so much Diego, I really needed a place tonight, I mean I would stay with my ex but turns out he might have been apart of a ring of tiger smugglers, which I love tigers but I don’t like tiger abuse-“ Diego gave him a look that could only be described as “what the fuck is your life and how can I not be involved.” Klaus just giggles at his face and sat on his bed. “Huh, okay well umm.....could you...?” He made a circle motion with his finger and Klaus immediately kicked up his legs, sat chris-cross-Apple-sauce and turned to face the wall, giving his brother the little room he could. This wasn’t knew for them they had done this before, when Klaus came home with a package when they were 16 that only said “Diego” in cursive and had doodles of knives and skulls. When he opened it it was something Diego thought he might never get, a binder. He tried not to give into the tears and looked at Klaus, this only sent his brother into a panic, “Oh no, I’m sorry if this not what you wanted? Is it the wrong color? This is the only color I could get, plus you always seemed like you liked the color black so-“ “No, no, no, it’s just...Thank you.” He gave him a smile and tousled his hair, “Of course, little bro.” 

Klaus stood next to the door making sure no one could burst in at any moment and catch Diego struggling to put on his new binder. He was putting one on for the first time, by himself, alone. Not ideal. It got to the point where Klaus had to leave his post, close his eyes (which meant he did trip over shoes in the process) while yanking down fabric. He rushed back to the door and waited while Diego adjusted himself and the material. “Are you almost done? I’m excited for you but I do have to pee.” “Just a few more seconds be quite!” As he buttoned his shirt and looked in the mirror he just stared at his chest in a way he hadn’t ever done before. He ran his hands down his newly flattened chest and smiled a smile so genuine he didn’t recognize himself. He was no longer number two, he was Diego. “Okay I’m turning around, you got quite snd I really have to use the bathroom and-“ as soon as Klaus turned and saw Diego staring in the mirror he clasped his hands over his mouth and coo’d. Diego started at him, this time he was crying. Klaus ran up to him and looked with him in the mirror. They pair smiled and tried to act like they didn’t cry. 

Diego laid one his bed staring at the ceiling as he heard Klaus snore, thinking about those memories, the small pockets of good the managed to share, were always something that made Diego feel better. He went to sleep with the memories of him and Klaus trading uniforms and Alison attempting to cut his hair. 

He woke up to his alarming blaring at 6:00AM, which he promptly shut off before Klaus awoke, he then slowly tip toed out of his room for a shower, when he came back he put his dirty clothes away put on a clean binder for the day and went into the public area to start cleaning before opening at 7. He cleaned until 8:00AM, then he trained a few people, ever so often look back at the hallway that led to his room wondering is Klaus was awake yet, at his lunch break at 12:30, he went back to his room, “Hey Klaus, get up buddy let’s go grad a bite-“ he stopped on the stairs as he looked at his room, “to eat...” he finished softly. Klaus had left. All that was there was a haphazardly made bed, the blankets he lent him still on the floor also folded chaotically and a note with a small pouch next to it. The outside had Diego written in cursive, but nothing else, he folded it open. 

“Dear D.H,  
Sorry I had 2 go w/o telling u but itz probably eazier 4 u now that I’m gone, srry for staying ovr!!  
From K.H

p.s there’s $2.45 in change in the pouch for ur troublez” 

He still didn’t know how Klaus managed to write like a scene kid on MySpace while also writing in cursive but he did. Diego opened up the pouch and counted it, it was actually $2.34. Diego crumpled up the note and threw it away. He then put the pouch in his dresser draws so he didn’t have to look at it for the time being. He looked at the “folded” blankets and kicked them in a fit of anger. He then thought of him and Klaus staring in the mirror together. He pushed those memories aside, that was a different Klaus and that was a different Diego. He then walked back up stairs and didn’t return until 2:00AM that night. 

That night Diego walked into a dimly lit restaurant he had only seen through pictures on Google, he wore his new button up shirt and dress pants. Everything fit just right surprisingly, the shirt made his shoulders pop while his pants were just tight enough but not too tight to where you could see everting. He sat waiting nervously, Patch and him had always had an off and on relationship but recently she asked him to meet her for dinner. He was nervous to say the least, she had almost never asked to see him these days, shooing him off of crime scenes and bombarding her with his own leads that he might have obtained illegally, that was more of Patch’s style these days. Diego’s mind started to wonder, maybe this wasn’t what he thought it was, maybe this is just him over thinking or taking her request the wrong way, maybe she wanted to discuss work and had to make it look like they were on a date to throw off-

“Diego?” He immediately was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard her, she wore a fitted black turtle neck and black slacks with sleek boots, their outfits almost matched he thought but he pushed that comment aside not wanting to blush in public. She quickly sat down across from him with a smile saying work kept her busy so she didn’t see the time. Diego just stared at her, even though he always felt like he needed to have his back to the wall and that trusting nobody was the only option, he did feel a bit more comfortable around her. She stopped talking and sighed, “I’m talking to much aren’t I?” He got more comfortable in his chair, “Yeah, you are. You talk way to much.” He gave a smile and Patch laughed. This was nice he thought.

After appetizers and maybe a glass of wine that Diego thought tasted like vinegar, the main courses came out. They both gave the waiter a thank you and commented on how great the food looks, Diego had been to nervous to eat so he was delighted to get right into his fancy burger. He took his first bite but Patch hadn’t even cut into her fish yet, Diego noticed. 

“Diego, we need to talk.” She put down her cutlery and rested her hands under her chin. Diego wiped his mouth and leaned back, he knew her tone wouldn’t mean what he thought tonight was about. “We need to talk about the other night.” Diego took a hearty gulp from his wine glass. “What other night?” He responded avoiding her face. “Maybe the night were you were laying in an alleyway and your weirdo brother who kept talking to invisible people had to come get me to help you!” She was angry at his change in demeanor, she knew that she wasn’t going to be as welling to talk as he would have been a few moments ago. “There’s nothings to talk about.” He said sharply, not wanting to think of that night or the day after. Or about how his brother left him once again. “There-“ she stopped to regain her composure, “There is. Diego you could have been seriously hurt or worse.” He scoffed, “I was out of breath not having an asthma attack-“ “You were about to pass out and that’s not even the first time you’ve been like this, you take bigger bites than you can chew and barely get out alive. What you’re doing will be the end of you.” She looked at him sternly. “Is that a threat?” He returned her stare. Sometimes it was obvious Five and Diego were related he thought, being smartasses who didn’t like to take advice seemed to be a shared trait of the two. “Diego, don’t do this-“ “Is that why you invited me here? To trick me into stop annoying you?” “Diego, that’s not it-“ “Well, you got your wish, Eudora.” He annunciated her first name dramatically. “I’ll be out of your hair from now on.” As he was getting up to leave she gripped his forearm, “I’m worried about you Diego, you wanna do actual good? You wanna be here to help solve another important case? Help take care of yourself first.” She was sincere but he still tore his hand away from her and left. He did come back a few seconds later and wrapped his burger in a napkin and grabbed his wine glass then officially left. 

He was almost done with his burger and he threw his empty glass in an alley, he didn’t exactly know where he was, to busy being hungry and angry to really think about it but as he emerged from the alley he heard a familiar, defiantly pleading, voice.

“Please c’mon! You know I’m good for it! Carl, think of all the intoxicated nights we’ve shared, you’re really gunna toss me aside for what? $30 bucks?” He chuckled but the accompanying scratchy voice didn’t share his tone. “It isn’t $30 bucks, it’s $60! And I’m not gunna get my ass beat ‘cuz of you!” Shoe scuffling and then a slammed door is all Diego heard from where he was hiding. He knew that voice and he knew this interaction wasn’t new. He slowly walked out of the alley to no surprise, see his, at the moment, least favorite brother, Klaus. Diego’s idea was still right, each time he saw Klaus he looked different, he had only helped and ditched him a few weeks ago but now Klaus had a strips of bleach blonde hair, glitter on his cheek bones and was wearing leather pants and a shirt that was way to small and a large coat, paired all with rainbow sparkly combat boots that made Diego wince. Klaus looked up to meet eyes with his brother and immediately started to run at high speed. He engulfed him in a tight hug and Diego shoved him away, “Whats your problem, Batman? Robin ran away again? Oh can I get a bite of that-“ Diego snatched away his burger before Klaus could grab it. “First off don’t call me Batman-“ “You’re right, you’re right. Who’s another brooding superhero vigilante?” Diego started to walk away ignoring his brother. “Wait! Wait! Where are you going? Don’t you wanna talk or maybe even hang out or-“ Diego turned and got in his face, “I don’t want to do anything with you, as a matter of fact, I don’t even wanna be associated with you.” Diego started to walk away again, trying to finish his burger. 

“Is it because I left?” The question didn’t come completely out of no where but it did surprise Diego, he turned around and looked at his brother now guilty form. “I didn’t leave for no reason, I was getting in your way and-“ “Don’t make excuses again!” He was fuming, how could he start making excuses when he basically snuck out behind Diego’s back. “You left, you made it clear how you felt.” He started to walk away again but he could hear the clomping of boots trying to keep up, “No, Diego, I left because you were doing better without me, I would have just dragged you down, I didn’t want you to worry about me while you were working, that’s why I left that money so-“ ”13 cents.” He finally said. “What?” Klaus was finally confused for the first time that night. “In your note, you said you left me $2.45. You left me $2.34. THats a 13 cent difference.” When he finally faced his brother he saw hurt again, it’s wasn’t much of a statement but Diego could tell it affected Klaus. 

“I’m sorry.” He looked at the pavement. “I’m sorry I let you down.” Diego wasn’t satisfied, “Yeah, well, ya did. And what happened to all that ‘I was worried about you, Diego, I’m thirty days sober, Diego,’ ‘cuz it doesn’t seem like you’re sober anymore.” Klaus started to rustle through his coat pockets, “Oh, actually!” Then he started to rustle through his pants pockets, giving an awkward chuckle, “Here!” He held up a colored coin that showed the number 50 on it. It had been two weeks since he saw Klaus and he stayed sober? Diego didn’t know what to think, there was the kid in him that was so happy, so glad his brother was getting better, but the over bearing adult part didn’t believe he would last another day or if he was even telling the truth. “I’m trying to get better-“ “Is that why you were begging some guy for drugs?” He said trying to make Klaus feel how he feels so he can at least believe his anger is justified. “Yeah, well, moment of weakness I guess.” He scratched the back of his neck. He then saw Klaus side eye a part of the street and whisper a “shush.” Diego knew someone was there but it always threw him off to see his brother talking to- Patch’s words sprung through his mind “invisible people.” He started to feel guilty, Diego always felt guilty for Klaus when it came to his powers, unwanted conversations, unwanted yelling, unwanted torment, he tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t come off as too mean or too nice. “W-Who’s there?” He looked where Klaus’ eyes were and then back at him, his brother was shocked by the question but immediately tried to put on a facade, “Ah,” he waved his goodbye hand, “No one, just some random ugly old guy,” Diego nodded, “You know, I didn’t leave to hurt you, I left because you do better without me around, you all do...” he was referring to the rest of their sibilings. Diego shook his head, “I wasn’t doing better without you, Klaus. I was doing worse.” He looked down at his burger. His brothers eyes widened, “What- What do you mean? Is it about the other night when you were hurt?” “Yeah, umm.” He paused not sure if he should be honest or not, “That happens to me a lot these days.” He was honest, and he met Klaus’ eyes after he finished. Klaus looked almost upset and scanned just brothers body, immediately he grabbed his arm and began walking the way Diego was when he was ignoring him. “What are you doing?” He was shocked by his brothers call to action. “I’m walking you back to your house, or gym, I can’t trust you alone.” Klaus said nonchalant.


End file.
